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Sonata "Los Dedicatorias," for Violin and Piano

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Excerpt from the 4th movement of the Sonata. Full recording to be released on the 2018 album "Peter Dayton: Notes to Loved Ones, Music for Strings and Piano" by Navonna Records
Fernando de Szyszlo’s paintings have inspired me since 2011, generating four compositions and a lasting correspondence and friendship with the artist. After several years of contact with the esteemed Peruvian painter, I decided to accept the generous offer of hospitality extended to me, and I went down to Lima to visit the Szyszlo family. Over four days I met four generations of de Szyszlos, spending a substantial amount of time with each of the members of the family. The movements of this work each take as their musical material a transformation of the names of members of the Szyszlo family. The final movement melodizes the names of two people I met serendipitously through travel circumstances, with whom I had the pleasure of spending my final day exploring Lima. There are senses in which each movement reflects the character and some qualities of the people whose names I used: the seriousness of Fernando’s artwork, Vicente’s energetic nature and Fernanda’s grace, the beautiful love of Manuela for her daughter Noelle, and the lightning fast banter between Adam, Cristina, and myself. But, in a sense, all of the movements are dedicated to all of the people I met. I hope they appreciate the gift of this piece as I value the gift of their friendship.

The Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance (GBCA) is an inclusive and independent organization that believes that arts and culture are essential to the vitality of the Greater-Baltimore region and that the cultural community is stronger together than apart.